How It Feels to Be Colored Me & Writing Prompts

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"How it Feels to Be Colored Me" is an essay by Zora Neale Hurston. Take a moment to read a bit of information about Zora Neale Hurston, then we'll read the essay in class. Look closely at how the article opens (the hook, lead-in, thesis), and how it develops (the body, topic sentences, argument), and notice the sentence structure (length, diction, syntax). After studying some of these elements respond to the article in writing.
  • ESSAY PROMPT: What defines you? What single physical, mental, emotional trait defines you? Why? What is the significance of this trait? 
  • ESSAY PROMPT: Think about your own educational experience. How multicultural has your experience been? 
  • ESSAY PROMPT: Is there value in having a common culture (for example stressing the idea that we are all 'Americans' over fragmenting our culture)? Why or why not?
  • ESSAY PROMPT: Does this idea of multiculturalism need updating? Is this issue still important--and, if so, why?
  • ESSAY, PLAY, or MEDIA PROMPT: Choose a side (a dichotomy) and argue for or against it. Who (in our culture) is right in your opinion?  
  • MEDIA PROMPT: Interview 3 different people and ask them about their identity or cultural heritage. Is their culture a burden to bear, or are they, like Hurston, more optimistic? Record and edit your folklore to create a piece for your portfolio.
  • POEM PROMPT: Hurston writes her optimistic essay in the bold, poetic style of the Modernists. She speaks of Jazz as some wild African predator. Choose a style of music or performance you like and compare it as a metaphor with some object or animal of your own choosing. Explain how the art form is also an animal or object and its effect on you.
  • POEM PROMPT: Hurston uses the simile "I feel like a brown bag of miscellany propped against a wall" and continues to describe what is in her "bag" of self. If you were a bag or container or piece of luggage, what would we find inside you? How has the "Great Stuffer of Bags" (God) filled you?
  • YOUR CHOICE: Don't like any of these? Use the article in some way to inspire a creative work of your own choosing.
WRITING TASK: Choose one (or more) of the prompts on this page and develop it into a draft. Your draft may be shared with your workshop group next class (or later) and should appear in your quarter portfolio. 

HOMEWORK: Please read Chapter 4 of The Namesake. Complete a draft of one of the prompts from today's blog post. It is my intention to hold a workshop next class. Develop and write your first drafts.

EXTRA CREDIt OPPORTUNITY: The Rochester Fringe Festival opened this week. Good job Joshua and Turon on your performance last night! Take a catalog and go see a performance this week (the festival runs through next Saturday, Sept. 21--take a friend or family member with you because it's more fun to see a show with someone!) My own original play "The Fighting Girl's Guide to Politics" is opening this weekend on Saturday and Sunday at the School of the Arts during the Fringe, and also runs through next week. Ms. Gamzon is directing an original play written by one of her friends and colleagues called "Colma". Mrs. Sapere also has a play that she wrote in the Fringe. Go see our work, or go see any other show. 

HOW TO GET EXTRA CREDIT: Write up a short summary of the show you saw. Then, comment on the performance. What did you learn about PERFORMING (acting, directing, singing, dancing, viewing, etc.) from watching the show or about writing (the content of the show or its story). What did you (or your friends) think of the show? Turn in your "review" and gain extra participation credit for this marking period. You may repeat this option as many times as you like. Go see 30 plays, get 30 points of extra credit! Etc.

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